# bid bots on the bay or big idiots on ebay



## mike t (Oct 21, 2008)

i just watched an intersesting vid on youtube about sellers hiking the bids up on the pipes they sell themselves. first of all if they are doing this i'll never bid on the junk they sell and if they can't respectfully put a reserve on a pipe, because they wanna make a buck or 100 on a medico billy bob smith jackson, you know michael jackson's cousin smoked they just need to leave. thanks for the rant 


mike t in okc


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

If sellers are bidding against themselves it is called "Shill Bidding" and is not allowed on ebay.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 6, 2011)

Ebay's too lazy to cross check the IP address of the seller with the bidders, so it happens.

I haven't used e-bay in years because of it.


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## Firedawg (Nov 8, 2010)

link for vid? thanks


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## Big Rick (Jul 27, 2010)

I read an article that states that Ebay has no incentive to enforce the rules. 

I think that they will have incentive when they lose what little trust we have and enough of us stop bidding there.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

there are a number of big time sellers on ebay i won't use for various reasons. here are two.

1 - some jackhole from TX who's in the "pipe smokers hall of fame" who sells a lot. he purposefully misrepresents his products to get more money from misinformed buyers. we've even had him publicly admit to it, but those that use to run smokersforums covered that up for him and removed the posts. so, when he says, "out of production" or "not made anymore" or something like that, when it's freakin "Haddo's Delight", i have issue with it.

2 - another seller, from Illinois, i believe, who charges $8 for shipping on a single tin of tobacco... and THEN, you get the tin in the mail, it is wrapped in a cut up cardboard box that they shaped around the tin and taped it, with no freakin padding, and only paid under $2 for 1st class shipping??!! really? 8 bucks to wrap cardboard around a tin, pay less than $2 to ship it?? go. fvck. yerself.

/rant :-x


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## sounds7 (Mar 25, 2009)

If its the particular guy I dealt with from Texas he sent a tin of Irish Flake to me but messed up the address and it was returned to him. he made it right by crediting my PalPal and then he sent the tin back to me at the correct address free of charge. That is a fella known as "Pipestud" . I dont know if thats who your talking about here or not though.



IHT said:


> there are a number of big time sellers on ebay i won't use for various reasons. here are two.
> 
> 1 - some jackhole from TX who's in the "pipe smokers hall of fame" who sells a lot. he purposefully misrepresents his products to get more money from misinformed buyers. we've even had him publicly admit to it, but those that use to run smokersforums covered that up for him and removed the posts. so, when he says, "out of production" or "not made anymore" or something like that, when it's freakin "Haddo's Delight", i have issue with it.
> 
> ...


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## Natedogg (Jun 21, 2010)

My father-in-law had an ex-girlfriend who created an account in his name then shill bid her items that way. We caught her and reported her, and she's a not-so-ebayer now.


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## FLIPFLOPS_AND_SHADES (Nov 25, 2010)

This is only partially the type of stuff that has me very reluctant to attempt at bidding on a pipe on fleabay. Such a shame as there seems to be lots of good pipes there.hwell:


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

sounds7 said:


> If its the particular guy I dealt with from Texas he sent a tin of Irish Flake to me but messed up the address and it was returned to him. he made it right by crediting my PalPal and then he sent the tin back to me at the correct address free of charge. That is a fella known as "Pipestud" . I dont know if thats who your talking about here or not though.


I seriously doubt that he means Pipestud.
In my opinion, Steve is a class act.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Hermit said:


> I seriously doubt that he means Pipestud.
> In my opinion, Steve is a class act.


That's good to know. He seems like a nice guy from his website. I've been thinking of ordering some consignment tobacco from him.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

Big Rick said:


> I read an article that states that Ebay has no incentive to enforce the rules.
> 
> I think that they will have incentive when they lose what little trust we have and enough of us stop bidding there.


It is true that ebay is motivated to have highest priced sales to generate sales commission, however, it would be pretty devastating for long-term Sellers to be caught & banned for shill bidding. It's not like they have anywhere else to go if ebay and Playpal stops processing orders.

Small-time, stupid individuals I can easily believe.

What I see as more common is the "truth-bending" of the condition of pipes. I've received many pipes with small cracks that were somehow not mentioned. I have returned several pipes that have been reamed to almost paper thin walls but marketed as "gently smoked" or "almost new". Also had a dealer in Australia try to sell me a Dunhill that had cracked completely through and was pipe-mudded then painted. Last was a gent in England who sold a covered pipe with a hole in one side you could push a match through.

It's stuff like this that makes me weary (and wary) of buying estate pipes off the 'Bay.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

It happened to me years back when i was looking to buy a Corvette!
The seller would contact me after the auction was over and offer me the car for more than my last bid but much less than the final bid was. When i would ask why they always had a cockamamie excuse. Like the sale fell through when i would respond with a why don't you re list. Some would say ok I'll except your bid its not worth the trouble to re list some would not answer at all. I never would buy from some one that dis honest. Funny i saw some of them re list and sell for less than i had offered. I guess the Shills sometimes out smart themselves!:heh::crazy:hwell:


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## bent-1 (Feb 3, 2011)

Hermit said:


> I seriously doubt that he means Pipestud.
> In my opinion, Steve is a class act.


I'll add to Steve's reputation. I purchased an Erlich dublin from him, only to discover when cleaning with alcohol there were heat cracks behind the cake. Emailed Steve, not only did he refund all costs, told me to keep the pipe & sent a tin for my troubles. It's something that can lay behind any cake.

What concerns me most, is the 'shade tree' mechanics who list a pipe & fail to disclose work done to the pipe that generally is considered altering the shape to most collectors. Example, a bowl rim sanded smooth & re-stained, or replacement stems, or alterations to the shank. Some sellers will 'coat' the inside of the bowl (hides cracks or ream marks), I'd rather it be naked.

If a seller can't provide in focus, bright close up pictures of the pipe, or hesitates in communication, I don't bid.


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## yvesmary (Jan 28, 2011)

bent-1 said:


> I'll add to Steve's reputation. I purchased an Erlich dublin from him, only to discover when cleaning with alcohol there were heat cracks behind the cake. Emailed Steve, not only did he refund all costs, told me to keep the pipe & sent a tin for my troubles. It's something that can lay behind any cake.
> 
> I've bought a lot of stuff from Steve and he'll do right by you. The odd mistake he's made he'll correct it in your favour and will absorb the loss.


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## ruralhipster (Jan 15, 2010)

I find this to be less of an issue with the cheap as-is estate pipes I tend to buy on the bay. While I can happily take a chance on a pipe for 5-15 bucks, if I was to shell out a couple hundred for a higher-end pipe I would need to fondle it a bit first.


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## hawg (Feb 26, 2010)

I currently got burned on ebay over a pipe and am now seeking a resolution. Funny the guy got my money and instantly unregistered on ebay. This is one of a kind as most dealings have been positive though.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

He probably was forcefully unregistered by eBay; I'll bet you're not the only one he screwed over.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

as far as my overall happiness with buying estate and new pipes on ebay, i have never been burned, never had a single issue with any seller misrepresenting what they were selling, or have i been scammed.

i've even had one of the more notable consignment pipe sellers sell a few of my pipes. 1 didn't go nearly as high as i'd hoped, since it was only smoked twice and from a nice German carver, the other two did good enough for me.
will i do it again (use the consignor)? probably not, as that 30% they get can add up to a lot of $$$ if it's a high dollar pipe (which one was a Rad Davis).


my complaints prior were only those that 
A) purposefully misrepresented what they were selling to gain more money (saying that a certain tobacco was out of production, when it isn't).
B) charging $8 or more to ship a single tin of tobacco (or single pipe), wrapping cardboard around it, then only paying $2 to ship it. (no fvcking way "handling/packing" cost $6 extra) <--- since i, and a handful of others on this forum from a few years back, went out of my way to bash this seller on many pipe forums, i've noticed that their shipping prices have dropped to about half (basically using priority mail, now). there were a number of people not too pleased with their shipping charges and i'm sure they were told of it at the pipe shows.


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## x6ftundx (Jul 31, 2008)

hawg said:


> I currently got burned on ebay over a pipe and am now seeking a resolution. Funny the guy got my money and instantly unregistered on ebay. This is one of a kind as most dealings have been positive though.


you are still covered by Ebay's save your butt policy. Even if they don't find the guy they usually will still give you your money back. Just keep escilating it until you get someone to give you what you want.


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## rob51461 (Aug 19, 2010)

mike t said:


> i just watched an intersesting vid on youtube about sellers hiking the bids up on the pipes they sell themselves. first of all if they are doing this i'll never bid on the junk they sell and if they can't respectfully put a reserve on a pipe, because they wanna make a buck or 100 on a medico billy bob smith jackson, you know michael jackson's cousin smoked they just need to leave. thanks for the rant
> 
> mike t in okc


 Check on who is bidding against you and see who theyve doing business with. antoher clue is if you lose the auction and they offer to let you have the item at your highest bid. then contact ebay.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 6, 2011)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> It happened to me years back when i was looking to buy a Corvette!
> The seller would contact me after the auction was over and offer me the car for more than my last bid but much less than the final bid was. When i would ask why they always had a cockamamie excuse. Like the sale fell through when i would respond with a why don't you re list. Some would say ok I'll except your bid its not worth the trouble to re list some would not answer at all. I never would buy from some one that dis honest. Funny i saw some of them re list and sell for less than i had offered. I guess the Shills sometimes out smart themselves!:heh::crazy:hwell:


That's a different kind of scam.

A lot of people will watch auctions or post auctions then get in touch with all of the bidders through e-mail and try to send you a check that is for a substantial amount of money larger than what the item is worth. They'll ask you to cash it and send them the difference if you're the seller, or any other way.

I've gotten so many fake checks this way to turn into banks so the FBI can handle it, but most of them are out of Africa - and usually it's a preacher or priest whose family is in dire straits.

Where there's money to be made scam artists will pop up. I'd also bet 90% of the in new box stuff anyone has bought of Craigslist at less than MSRP is stolen too.


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## DirtyBlackSocks (Jan 6, 2011)

x6ftundx said:


> you are still covered by Ebay's save your butt policy. Even if they don't find the guy they usually will still give you your money back. Just keep escilating it until you get someone to give you what you want.


******/EBay are a real pain in the ass to deal with.

If you put your purchase on a credit card/debit card go directly through them - you'll have your money back in the account while an investigation is done instead of waiting for the investigation to complete and then getting your cash.


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